AbstractMost of the research examining the link between life events and adaptation has focused on psychological distress and illness. The present study investigated the influence of serious personal loss or misfortune on life satisfaction. A secondary data analysis was conducted on a subsample of 375 adults obtained from 9,570 respondents to health risk appraisal questionnaires collected in 12 cities across the United States. A significant inverse relationship between serious personal loss or misfortune and life satisfaction was obtained, and coping resource and behavior variables did not moderate this relationship. Results were similar for blacks and whites.